Satisfied with his victory and seeing his level-up, Frank decided to look over his new stats.
[Host: Frank Gunn
Level: 7
EXP: 250/750
HP: 60/60
MP: 35/35
Strength (STR): 30+
Constitution (CON): 32+
Agility (AGI): 16+
Intelligence (INT): 9+
Charisma (CHA): 6+
Luck (LUC): 0
Stat points: 12]
[Skills:
Oathkeeper (SPEX)
Sixth Sense (Innate)
Diligent Student (Innate)
Regeneration (Lvl 2)
Persisting Strength (Lvl 2) -> (Lvl3)
Featherfoot (Lvl 1)
Hand-to-hand combat (Lvl 1) -> (Lvl 2): 10% -> 20%
Makeshift weapon proficiency (Lvl 1) -> (Lvl 2): 10% -> 20%]
Feeling much more confident and content with his new abilities, his mind wandered to Ana.
The last month had been very difficult for him. This wasn't because of the intense training; it was because that regiment left him with minimal time to spend with her.
It seemed like the only times he really saw her were during dinner and before bed. He knew she was safe within these walls, but he was definitely glad to have some more time to spend with her.
"Daddy!" Ana cried out, her eyes lighting up as she spotted him. She bolted across the room and threw her arms around him, hugging him so tightly he doubted he could pry her off even with his new strength. Not that he'd dream of doing something like that anyway.
Frank hugged her back, squeezing her tightly. He didn't want to let go either.
"Hey, buttercup," he said, picking her up. "I missed you."
"I missed you too!" she replied, beaming up at him.
Frank was visibly struggling to keep it together.
He'd missed her so much, her laughter, her stories, the little rants she'd go on about her toys or TV shows. This kind of arrangement wasn't something he planned to make a habit of.
"What did you learn today?" he asked, forcing negative thoughts to the side.
"Oh! Ms. Sarah taught us how to move really sneaky!" Ana said, bouncing on her toes. "We practiced crawling and sneaking around the garden. I got the best score on hiding!"
Frank chuckled, though the thought made him sad.
He was proud of her, incredibly so. But the thought of her learning to hide from monsters, to survive in a world trying to kill her, broke his heart.
He remembered the day she'd first told him about her training. Her voice was so full of pride as she explained how she'd learned to hide, to avoid making creaks in floorboards. She'd been so determined, and Frank was filled with pride even though his heart ached.
She was his little trooper, but she shouldn't have to learn these things. She should be playing, laughing, going to school, making new friends—living a normal, peaceful life.
But that wasn't reality, and if she didn't learn at least this much, it would be hard to protect her no matter how strong he grew.
"I'm always proud of you, Ana," he said, ruffling her hair. "You're my little super spy."
Ana grinned, but before she could respond, the door opened again, and Elara and Max stepped inside. Their expressions were serious, and Frank felt uneasy. Elara's green eyes locked onto his, and she gave him a small nod, as if to say, 'We need to talk.'
Frank grimaced and gently set Ana down.
"Why don't you play with your toys for a bit while the grown-ups talk, okay?" he said, exasperated.
"Whaattt? But you just got back," Ana complained.
"It will be quick, right, Ms. Elara?" Frank looked at her with a look that said, 'It better be.'
Elara gave a light smile before kneeling down to Ana's level. "Yes, sweetheart, there's just something I need to discuss with your daddy here."
Clearly disappointed, Ana still nodded and went over to her toys.
"Is everything alright?" Frank asked, hoping to get this over with.
"Yes and no," Elara replied, "It's about Commander Arlo."
Frank's stomach tightened. He'd knew what was coming, Arlo had been pushing for their unit to mobilize for weeks. Now that the training was over, there was no excuse to ignore his call. Even still, he asked the question.
"What about him?"
"You know what, he's calling us in," Elara said, crossing her arms. "Training's over. He wants us ready to move out."
Frank frowned. "Isn't it too soon? You barely had enough time to prepare. What if you're not ready?"
Elara stepped closer, her expression softening slightly. "Frank, I know you're worried. We all are. But the world outside won't wait for us to feel ready. More importantly, you've shown what you can do in training, you're stronger than anyone here. I'm saying it again: we need you out there."
Elara paused, seemingly unsure if she wanted to "go there". Still, she made a decision and continued.
"Listen Frank, I know you weren't giving it your all, in training that is," she admitted, her voice quieter now. "I can't figure out why you held back, but it's obvious that with the skills you showed us in the beginning, there's no way you could have defeated that spider. You definitely had more you weren't showing."
Frank looked away, feeling like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Yes, he wasn't at full strength, but it's not like he had been holding back. His main ability wasn't exactly training-friendly. Unless, of course, he made a promise to beat up his friends.
'Yeah, I think I'll skip that promise, though,' he decided.
Ana had been attentively listening to their conversation. She ran back over and tugged on his hand. "Daddy, you can fight the monsters! You'll be a hero and save everyone!"
There she was again, driving home his guilt. He had all this strength, and for what? To protect his daughter?
Yes, there was that, but was that really the end of it? The idea that if he took action, hundreds, maybe even thousands of people could still be alive kept him up many nights.
Before he could respond, the door opened again, and Commander Arlo stepped inside, his presence commanding immediate attention.
"You know, you all need to stop with the dang doors, I can't seem to finish a thought around here," Frank complained
Ignoring his whining, Arlo began, "We've got a mission," he said, his voice firm. "A group of survivors is trapped in the Westgate Mall. They're surrounded by monsters and running out of supplies. We're their only hope."
Frank knew it would be something like this. He opened his mouth to decline, but Arlo cut him off before he could speak.
"Before you decline, Frank, there's something else," Arlo continued, looking at him thoughtfully, "We have reason to believe your parents are among the survivors."
The room seemed to tilt, and Frank felt Ana's grip on his hand tighten. "What?" he managed, his voice cracking. "They-they're alive?"
Arlo's expression was grim but un-breaking. "We intercepted a transmission from the mall. Names, descriptions, it all matches. We can't be certain, but the odds are good. Assuming they're alive, this is your chance to bring them home."
Frank's mind raced, memories flashing before his eyes. His parents had always been there for him, even in the darkest moments. When he'd lost Jasmine, they had been his rock, helping him care for Ana when he could barely function.
His mother embraced him as he spent months sobbing, and his father reminded him to take things one day at a time for Ana's sake. They had been his foundation, his lifeline. Along with Ana, they were part of the reason he kept going.
He wanted to deny it, not daring to hope that they really were alive. But the thought that his parents were alive, trapped, and waiting for help, was too heartbreaking to ignore.
"You're positive about this?" Frank asked, needing to be sure.
Arlo nodded. "As sure as we can be. But we need to move fast. Every hour we delay puts them at greater risk."
Frank hesitated, his fists clenched at his sides. Westgate Mall was not exactly nearby, which meant he would be away from Ana again. Even worse, if something happened here, it wouldn't be easy to return.
"What kind of guarantee can you make for Ana's safety?" Frank asked.
"The same guarantee we make for all the other children staying here." Arlo replied immediately, " Even if it costs us every adult life in this building, in the worst-case scenario, we will ensure the children survive,"
Finally, Frank let out a long breath and met Arlo's gaze. "Alright," he said, his voice low. "I'm in, but let's make something clear: I do not work for you. I do not take orders from you. If it comes down to completing your mission or saving my parents, I will not hesitate to choose the latter."
"'Saving the survivors is our mission, Frank,' Arlo interrupted, leaving no room for doubt. 'We'll bring them home, Frank. You have my word.'"
Frank nodded, though the commander's promise didn't amount to a hill of beans in his eyes. Still, it didn't matter, this was what he had trained for; to protect his family.
At the very least, if he couldn't trust the commander's promise, there was one person he knew who never broke a promise.
Steeling his resolve, he turned to face his daughter.
"Ana, I promise; I will save Grandma and Grandpa," Frank vowed, his voice steady and full of determination.